The Saudi backed takeover of Newcastle United, yes, the controversial £305 million purchase which marked the end of Mike Ashley's 14 years reign at the St. James' Park sparked much debate last year. Human rights groups were strongly against such a takeover while the Newcastle fans were over the moon. And why wouldn't they be? They are a set of fans who have seen it all, from being title contenders at one point in their history to being relegated, and now struggling to stay up, its safe to say thee set of fans have endured a lot. It was no surprise that the Magpies faithful were overjoyed, visibly wearing masks of the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, when the deal of the takeover went through. Newcastle United Football Club became the wealthiest club in the whole world, and along with their finances, their ambitions also skyrocketed. The new owners promised to take the club back to the Champions League.
But things don't improve overnight in football. Since the takeover, Newcastle have sacked their manager Steve Bruce. Former Bournemouth FC manager Eddie Howe took over the reins with the task of avoiding relegation. Currently sitting at 18th in the league and in the relegation zone, Newcastle have been one of the busiest clubs in the January transfer market. Howe looks to gradually improve his squad which will help him fulfil the club's long term as well as short term goals. Having already made a few high profile signings already, Newcastle are on the same road as were Manchester City just after the takeover. Is this the start of a new era of dominance in the Premier League, or will it falter just like it did under Mike Ashley? Read on.
THE INCOMING
With a huge transfer budget comes the urge to spend more [ok I made that one up ;) ]. But seriously speaking, Newcastle have started making moves in the transfer market which they would not have even dared to make even last season. Example? Lets take Kieran Trippier's £13.5 million deal as an example. Even last summer he was linked with a move to Manchester United. Well that move didn't happen eventually, but nobody would've thought he would give up the Champions League nights at Atletico Madrid to be in a relegation battle at Newcastle. So what appealed to him? A bigger paycheck? Probably yes. A chance to return home? Yes. A chance to play in the Championship? Nope. This move doesn't make sense for him, but it makes an awful lot of sense for the Magpies. They are in desperate need of defenders, and with Trippier, not only do they get a solid right back, they get someone with a vast experience of playing at the highest level and that will be crucial in guiding the team in the long run.
Now lets talk of the second "big" signing Newcastle made in January. New Zealand's very own and a fan favorite at Burnley, Chris Wood was signed for a whopping £25 million a few weeks back. Surprised at the money they paid to Burnley? Ya, I was too. Not only me, probably most of the people familiar with the Premier League would be surprised at Chris Wood costing so much money, for he is already 30 and won't be getting younger over the next few seasons. Wood was the main man at Burnley and his goals were crucial in keeping the Clarets in the top flight of English football for the last few years. With him gone, Newcastle have not only weakened a potential relegation rival of their main striker, they have also found a striker who can complement Allan Saint-Maximin pretty well. Woods, though was not such a prolific goal scorer at Burnley, scoring a combined 26 goals over the last two seasons. With such a huge price tag to his name [ only Cristiano Ronaldo and Gabriel Batistuta cost more in their 30s ] Wood would be under immense pressure to deliver.
The third and probably the biggest signing for Newcastle in the last few years is Bruno Guimares. The players is undergoing his medical tests in Belo Horizonte at the time of writing, and the deal is almost complete, according to famed journalist Fabrizio Romano. Bruno is a big capture, almost a statement signing for Newcastle United. Bruno plays as a holding midfielder for French club Lyon and Newcastle are reportedly going to pay £40 million plus £6.7 million in bonuses for acquiring his services till 2026. Bruno, as a matter of fact attracted interest from a lot of top clubs across Europe, notably Arsenal and Juventus, but it was Newcastle who eventually got the deal through. Bruno is just 24 years old, and thus would be a great addition for the team if they are to compete for trophies in the long term. Bruno will provide solidity as well much needed creativity for the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin and Chris Wood to score the goals upfront.
THE PLAYERS BEING LINKED
With the amount of money at their disposal, its no surprise that Newcastle are linked to a number of talents across Europe. A closer look at their reported targets would reveal that they are looking to solidify their fragile defense. For that they have identified Brazilian Diego Carlos from Sevilla as their number one target. Carlos is one of the most solid center backs in La Liga and Newcastle have been pushing hard to get his signature. It was reported that they had already agreed personal terms with the player, but Sevilla ultimately turned down the bid as "insufficient". Technical director Monchi revealed that Newcastle will have to pay the full £70 million release clause of Diego Carlos to get the defender. It is to be noted that Carlos had earlier attracted interest from teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona as well.
Apart from Diego Carlos, Newcastle also made bids for Sven Botman [LOSC Lille] and Benoit Badiashile [ AS Monaco]. Its clear that they are building a team for the future as both the defenders are extremely young and talented. Recently Newcastle also made a £8 million bid for Brighton's Dan Burn, which has been turned down as insufficient. Out of favor Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno has also been linked with a move to the Magpies, which according to me will be a win win for both parties. Arsenal's current number one Aaron Ramsdale has made the goalkeeper spot his, and Leno is just too good to waste his talent on the bench. Him coming at St. James' Park will help steady the leaky defense and he can also be a leader in the dressing room.
For strengthening the midfield, Newcastle have tried to rope in Jesse Lingard from Manchester United on loan or permanently buy. Lingard is completely out of favor at Manchester United, a club where he has spent 22 years of his career. Manchester United want to sell him at about £17 million which Newcastle do not want to pay. The difference in valuation will ultimately hurt Lingard's chances of getting first team football, and eventually might cost him a chance to feature at the World Cup for England later this year.
Upfront, Newcastle are looking at Arsenal's talented striker Eddie Nketiah. Few reports have also suggested that they are looking at Alvaro Morata as well. The news about Morata is intriguing as his place in the Juventus first team is under increased doubt after their £70 million acquisition Serbian wonderkid Dusan Vlahovic. Morata is also a target for Barcelona, who are in desperate need of reinforcements. Its a matter of time before the January transfer window closes and its no surprise that the race to sign the top players is heating up.
THE VISION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
Newcastle's recruitment policy is kind of similar to that of Manchester City after their own takeover. City targeted many star players but many were hesitant to come join a mid table team. Their first big signing was Robinho from Real Madrid. Although Robinho failed to justify the transfer, him joining City from a team like Real Madrid meant many players like Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Vincent Kompany found it reasonable enough to believe in the long term plans that City had, and it definitely paid off. Bruno Guimares can be that Robinho-esque signing which will attract players with a higher profile to join the Magpies. With money not being a problem, is it time for the emergence of another super power in the heart of English football?
Well it won't be easy. Money will of course play a factor, but the big six teams can also offer huge wages to attract good players. Newcastle United's owners need to be patient and persistent at the same time, if they are to follow the Manchester City pathway of accent. The first target should be to establish the team as a good mid table contenders. Winning a cup competition like the FA Cup or the Carabao Cup should also be a target in the next five years. After that, comes top four, the Champions League and finally fighting for the league and major trophies. Smart recruitment will be key and Newcastle can again learn from Manchester City in that aspect. Is Eddie Howe the correct guy to lead the team? Well, I am not sure to be completely honest. From what I've seen, Howe likes to play an attacking brand of football, which in my opinion, is what the club should strive to make its identity. But what happens if the job becomes bigger than the manager in charge? Newcastle might eventually move towards more established coaches, like they did with approaching Unai Emery of Villareal last year. A manager with a clear attacking philosophy and good at spotting and developing young talents will help the team in the long run.
Although Newcastle have the money, they need to establish that pull of a club. A young and upcoming player will definitely choose a club like Real Madrid or Juventus to take the next big step in his career. Newcastle will have to reach that level, they have no reasons why they can't. With traditional big teams like Barcelona in deep economic troubles, Newcastle can look to take an advantage of the situation.
Will this once great team with a rich history be able to reclaim its place in this vast kingdom of football novelty? Or will they fall apart like a pack of cards? The wind at the St. James' Park will tell its tale, on a fierce windy day, for the St. James' Park will sing at its loudest, and the Magpies will be proud of their team.
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Poster- Sayak Maity
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